Glad to see that we can now view the rates for our reviews. Maybe next time Ciao should test the new...
Glad to see that we can now view the rates for our reviews. Maybe next time Ciao should test the new system before installing it?
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I know this isn’t my usual sort of topic to write about but I thought I’d have a go at a gardening opinion and tell you about my runner beans.
I have always grown runner beans for two reasons really, firstly because my dad loves them especially home grown, and they’re dead easy to grow!
The seeds that I use these days are a variety called Lady Di, which were originally recommended to me by my uncle, as they are stringless. I grew them for one year and was so impressed by the crop and the taste that I have used the same variety every year since. A pack of 50 seeds costs about £2.50.
I had a conservatory built about 7 years ago (bear with me this is relevant!) and as part of the follow on work I had a new patio laid including planters for shrubs. I also had a planter made which is the full depth of the patio along the fence adjoining next doors property. It’s about 9 feet long and about 3 feet deep, just the right size for my beans.
During the year I maintain a
compost bin, filling it with kitchen scraps. In May I empty the planter and put a layer of ripped up newspaper in the bottom to retain moisture. I then empty the contents of the compost bin on top of the newspaper and put the ‘soil’ back on the top of that. I put the word soil in inverted commas because it isn’t actually soil it is the contents of a couple of grow bags, as this will give more nourishment to the plants. . I get a tray of plant pots, fill them with potting compost (again usually from the contents of a grow bag – it’s cheaper) and plant the beans. I keep them in the conservatory which acts as a greenhouse and gives them a good start whatever the weather is like outside.
I then construct my bean frame. I have always used to use beanpoles, which are about 6 feet or so in length and about half an inch across. I used to put these in the ground at intervals of about 6 inches and let the beans grow up them, but then I saw a brilliant idea in someone else’s garden when I was visiting a friend.
Now I have a frame that consists of 10 beanpoles, about 8 inches apart with further poles laid horizontally across the top and bottom to form an oblong structure. The ones at the bottom are about 6 inches from the bottom of the poles, as the poles have to be inserted into the ground.
The vertical and horizontal poles are held in place where they cross by electrical tape. A bean net is then put over the structure thus giving the bean plants some extra area to climb over as they grow. The net is also held in place with electrical tape so that the whole thing is secure.
The whole structure is about 8 feet wide by about 6 feet tall and is placed at the back of the planter. I then attach it to the fence by means of some string at each end so that it won’t blow about in the wind. The frame can also be left constructed from one year to the next providing you have somewhere suitable to store it during the winter and spring. It then just needs repairing if any of the tape has come off and it’s ready to use.
When my bean plants are about 6 inches tall and have two healthy leaves I transplant them into the planter directly in front of the bean frame. As they begin to grow I keep my eye on them and twist them around the netting if they need it.
The plants reach the height of the bean frame and beyond in a thick dense growth, and have lovely red flowers. I water the planter regularly as beans do need plenty of water in order to grow. I also flick the hosepipe over the flowers as well, as I have always been told that bean flowers need to be rained on to make them set. I don’t know how true this one is though.
Providing the bees pollinate the flowers correctly they will drop off to reveal tiny beans. The bees sometimes go into the flower through the back of it rather than the front, which means that it does not actually get pollinated and so drops off with no bean to follow. Unfortunately there’s not a lot you can do about this, as it’s pretty difficult to reason with a bee!
Assuming you now have a crop of small beans the next thing to do is to wait until they grow! I keep watering them regularly and I begin to pick them when they are about 7 inches long. They do grow longer than this, but these smaller ones are very tender.
That’s all there is to it. Just keep picking the beans and they will keep growing until the autumn. We usually get enough to have plenty ourselves and give some to our parents as well. You can certainly taste the difference from the one you buy in the shops as well.
Beans are easy to freeze, just top and tail them, chop them as you would if you were about to cook them, pop them in a bag and freeze. You can blanch them first but there really isn’t any need.
When the beans have finally finished just remove the plants from the ground and from the bean frame and put them into the compost bin. Now there’s recycling for you! Mind you does that make my beans cannibals?
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Loved the last line about cannabalism! We have grown runner beans for the last 3 years, but they are not doing very well this year at all for some reason.
Fiona28 28.06.2001 00:03
I find letting kids grow runner beans is a useful way to get them to eat vegetables, as they will eat something they have grown and picked themselves.
in1072 26.06.2001 22:48
Bean - sorry - "Being" as I am one of the end product tasters, I can only say I heartily agree - growing your own stuff is much nicer and tastier than buying!!! :)D
Jun 25th, 2001
very helpful by (100%):
